site.btaConsumer Rights Are Civil Right, Says Meglena Kuneva

"The subject of consumer protection is economically very important and a significant indicator for how the state views its obligations", said Meglena Kuneva, Bulgaria's European Commissioner for Consumer Protection (2007-2010) and now EU Ambassador to the Council of Europe, in an interview for BTA on Friday, March 15 - World Consumer Day. 

Kuneva said that as European Commissioner she put a lot of effort for consumer protection to be included in the Lisbon Treaty, which defines the common goals and policies of the EU. Today, consumer rights are recognised as a civil right at the European level, which, according to Kuneva, forces national administrations to adapt their legislation accordingly. She pointed out that a large part of the gross domestic product at the European level is due to what all of us as consumers put into the economy, and that this process is even more intense nowadays because of the high share of services in society.

"Unfair commercial practices, consumer profiling, being followed on social networks - these are great dangers, especially now with artificial intelligence," Kuneva noted. She also gave the fee increase of mobile services in Bulgaria as an example, pointing out that consumers are protected in their relations with mobile operators - if they apply the legislation correctly. "We have the right to protect our rights, including in court", she emphasized. In this regard Kuneva addressed the bill on class actions, which is being discussed in the Bulgarian National Assembly. "If it passes the second reading without being crippled, it will be a very powerful weapon in the hands of consumers, because then companies will really feel what it means to be threatened with severe sanctions," she said. According to her, there is extremely strong lobbying on the European level to prevent such laws from happening in individual countries, because they are against the interest of large companies.

Kuneva acknowledged that looking for your rights oftentimes seems tiring and thankless, but she stayed adamant that this is the way things start to change. "If, for example, 10,000 consumers, whose rights were violated, manage to condemn a manufacturer of goods together with a collective action, will the manufacturer repeat the same violation?", she asked rhetorically. In her words, whether people will have strong organisations depends on their desire and willingness to unite: "In Bulgaria, what worries me is that even when we start something good, we do not have the patience to take care of it long enough. However, when we are together, we are a force", Kuneva said. According to her, there is little talk about consumer protection in the country and the national institutions are lagging behind in drafting a common policy. 

She emphasized the role of citizens, who must be persistent enough in exercising the rights that the laws gives them. "In Europe, for the most part, consumer organisations arose after the Second World War, when the black market of speculation and famine was rampant, and people mobilised to defend their interests. This is very indicative that civil pressure is needed," Kuneva pointed out.